Critical care nurse burnt out after 13 years

Dear Nurse Beth Advice Column - The following letter submitted anonymously in search for answers. Join the conversation!

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After 13 years of critical care nursing at the bedside (emergency, ICU, and critical care flight), I feel burnt out and unmotivated. I used to be constantly striving for new goals, courses, learning opportunities. Now I just try to survive shifts and not have anyone die on me. It is so not me. I am unsure if I need a break from nursing altogether or if I just need to find a new area of nursing that interests me. I actually really enjoy writing and would love to get into that but unsure how that could fit with nursing work, and actually provide stable income. I worry that other areas of nursing wouldn't give me the same fulfillment and pride that critical care does even though it's been wearing me down for years. Please Help Nurse Beth, need advice!

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear Burned Out,

You've had an impressive and fulfilling career. Critical care nursing is intense. It's natural to experience burnout after such a long and intense journey. Feeling unmotivated or like you don't care is a sign of burnout.

It's essential to prioritize your well-being and career satisfaction. Here are some tips to consider when navigating your next career move.

Take a Break if Possible Burnout is a real concern for many nurses, and sometimes, stepping away from patient care can provide a fresh perspective that you can't gain while you're in the midst of it all. It may be worth considering taking some time off to rest, recharge, and reflect on your career aspirations and interests.

Explore Writing Opportunities  If you enjoy writing, you can explore opportunities to combine your nursing expertise with your passion for writing. This could include starting a healthcare blog, writing articles for healthcare publications, or even considering healthcare copywriting or content creation roles.

To start, you might consider writing an article for a non-profit publication on a volunteer basis to begin building a list of published work.

Writing test questions alone (perhaps as a side gig) is a challenging skill. Some healthcare content employers include Relias and Healthstream.

You can also register as a subject matter expert for the American Nurses Association. 

Register on Indeed.com to see more of what's out there. Join LinkedIn for an online professional presence, networking, and freelance job leads.

While it takes time to build a stable income, it's possible with dedication and effort.

Another start is to write articles right here on allnurses :)! 

Consider Nursing Education Yet another way to combine writing with nursing is by becoming a nursing educator. Such professionals are responsible for developing educational materials, writing textbooks, and creating instructional content.

Nursing education allows you to share your knowledge with the next generation of nurses while continuing to work in the healthcare field. Personally, I followed this path, and it motivated me to pursue further goals, such as obtaining certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD). As an NPD specialist, you can influence nursing practice and remain involved in acute care, maintaining a daily presence on the unit.

Explore Other Nursing Specialties You can also explore other nursing specialties that might align with your interests and provide a change of pace. PACU nursing? Palliative care?

Non-bedside areas like case management, quality improvement, informatics, or public health nursing may offer a different perspective and opportunities for fulfillment. Another consideration is working as an educational rep for a vendor, such as Hillrom or Alaris.

Network and Seek Advice Connect with nurses who have transitioned to non-traditional nursing roles, such as healthcare writers or educators. Seek their advice and insights into how they made their transitions.

Financial Planning If you decide to take a break or transition to a lower-paying role initially, ensure that you have a financial plan in place to support your lifestyle during the transition period.

Remember that it's entirely normal to reassess your career goals and seek a path that aligns with your current passions and well-being. Your years of critical care experience have equipped you with valuable skills that can be applied in various healthcare roles.

Take the time to explore your options, and don't hesitate to reach out to mentors or career advisors for guidance along the way. Your career journey can evolve and lead to new and fulfilling opportunities.

Best wishes! Your next career phase has every chance of being very rewarding.

Nurse Beth

 

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